I have paddled at least 10 similar boats, and the Bliss is among the best. It is absolutely silky in the water due to the relatively sharp keel. It is not as versatile for different bodies as, say, the Perception Swifty or the Heritage Featherlite. The fit is snug. I'm female, 5'7", 130 lbs, slim build. The Bliss fits me perfectly but might not be comfortable for someone with wider hips & bottom, or with big feet. It will not carry much- just a little day bag. I wouldn't add deck rigging, as the secondary stability is carefully tuned and could be thrown off by too much top weight. The fore & aft foam blocks take up most of the boat. the cockpit is smaller and almost triangular, so you won't have the variety of leg positions that you would with a similar boat, but you will be drier. Foot braces are very easy to adjust on the water.
The geometry of the Bliss is snug, allowing a silky-smooth ride and superb tracking and cornering. I find the Bliss' narrowness so much more comfortable and efficient than the wider cockpit and overall beam of other boats I've paddled. It is sensitive to your stroke. It isn't the all-purpose, all-paddler beginner boat that outfitters use. It is a small, sleek, responsive boat for a small paddler on a variety of waters.
I have paddled it on a slow river and on salt marshes with lots of oyster beds. The Bliss gets scratched as would any other plastic boat. It is light and easy to cartop and carry by yourself.
The teeny grab handles are useless as-is, so I looped some cord through a 6" piece of old garden hose and threaded everything through the factory handles to make usable grab handles.
If you are a small-framed person and have not yet paddled a women's-specific boat, the Bliss will make a believer out of you!
Two years and counting since I posted my first review on this boat, and I am more in love with it than ever. I had been dinking around in kayaks for years, but this is the boat that made me a paddler. I was making pretty good time this morning when I slammed into the submerged log. No worries; this boat was where I learned to brace, edge, and use my weight confidently. Recently I was paddling a tidal inlet on a windless day when I rounded a point and saw three breakers headed straight at me. I barely had time to get interested in the situation before I had ridden over them like a cork. Normally I would never consider taking a rec boat with a wide-open cockpit into breakers, but it's good to know that this boat can handle it. The only thing I would mention is that it is not an easy boat to do deep-water self rescues in. It just isn't designed for rough conditions; it's not that kind of boat.
I now own three sea/touring kayaks, each beloved for their particular strengths. The Bliss, though, is my go-to boat, my buddy that I can throw in the bed of my pickup and just go have fun. I'd give it an 11 if I could.